Tag Archives: Jim Messina

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3 years ago


Three years ago, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.

And right around this time, he stepped onstage in Chicago to address the American people for the first time as President-elect.

A lot has happened since that night in Grant Park.

But to win in 2012, we’ll need a grassroots campaign that’s even stronger than the last, and we can’t afford to wait to get started.

Here’s what the President said three years ago tonight:

“Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime. … The road ahead will be long; our climb will be steep; we may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there. … but there’s so much more to do.”

Everyone should be proud of what we’ve accomplished since then, but as the President said, there’s so much more to do. What happens on November 6th, 2012, is up to us.

Watch the video here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Three-Years-Ago

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager

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They got it wrong …Rufus Gifford, BarackObama.com


Just six days before the last fundraising deadline, one major newspaper ran a story under the headline “Small donors are slow to return to the Obama fold.”

You and a whole lot of other supporters turned that headline upside down. Today we filed a report with the FEC that shows this movement isn’t just as strong as ever — it’s growing.

Sometimes the media gets so caught up in its own echo chamber that the storyline separates from the facts.

The great thing about building a grassroots organization based outside of Washington is that the press won’t decide what happens here — you will.

In fact, right now, just shy of 1 million people like you have taken ownership of this campaign by pitching in whatever they can afford.

You’re already going to be a part of that million — but there’s still something you can do to help get the campaign there today.

Promise to match a first-time grassroots supporter by making a donation today — and the new supporter we’ll match you with will join you as part of that first million. You can even write them a note.

No matter what happens in the inside-the-beltway media circus, or what the pundits are predicting, we’ve got to stay focused on building this campaign from the ground up, one grassroots donation at a time.

When each of us takes responsibility as a supporter, the combined impact sends a stronger message than any single newspaper story.

You can do that right now.

Promise to match a first-time supporter’s donation today and help the campaign get to 1 million:

Thanks,

Rufus

Rufus Gifford
National Finance Director
Obama for America

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Here’s the deal ,,,Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


The President and congressional leaders reached an agreement last night to meet our financial obligations and reduce our deficit.

Many people will have lots to say about this deal — but the President wanted to talk to you directly.

Watch the video:

Please share this video with everyone you know.

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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DADT … Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


 President Obama and our military service chiefs certified the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

In 60 days, it will be done.

This is huge and welcome news for every one of us who opposes discrimination of any kind. But now, the fight for equal rights moves on.

Here’s the next front: This week the President endorsed a bill to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, a discriminatory law that forces the federal government to ignore the rights of those in same-sex marriages, even those performed in states where gay marriage is legal. The New York Times has said it “ranks with the most overtly discriminatory laws in the nation’s history.”

President Obama sees repeal as a moral and legal necessity, while the Republican candidates oppose it. But millions of people — gay and straight — are watching what they’re doing, want this law gone, and will make their voices heard.

Can you be one of them? We’re putting together the group of people who want to be at the forefront of our efforts on this issue as the campaign develops over the next 16 months — the first to know when news breaks, and the first to help spread the word to your friends and in your community. Join us for what’s next:

BARACKOBAMA.COM

Under DOMA, rights afforded to straight married couples — such as receiving Social Security benefits for spouses or filing joint federal income-tax returns — do not apply to same-sex married couples.

It’s no secret that the President has long opposed this law. In February, he directed the Justice Department to stop defending a key portion of it in court. And this week, he endorsed the first Senate bill that would repeal the law in its entirety.

We can already see the direction the other side is headed in response. They called a witness at the Senate hearings this week to testify that repealing DOMA would “pave the way for polygamous and other polyamorous unions.” That’s the type of rhetoric we should be prepared to hear in the run-up to the next election.

But the broad American consensus is on our side. We’ve all seen that change in Washington doesn’t come overnight, and fighting for it can carry significant political risks. When opportunities to make real progress come up, it’s critical to show Washington that millions of voters have President Obama’s back.

This is a defining issue for many of us in this movement, and for this President. Join this fight today:

Thanks for your help,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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Exclusive: First look at our report … Jim Messina, BarackObama.com


We’re filing this campaign‘s first financial report with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.

You own this campaign, so you deserve to get this news first.

And thanks to you and other supporters all over the country, there’s a lot of good news to share.

I’m not going to steal my own thunder here in the email — you’ve got to watch the video to get the news about what we’ve raised, how we’re spending it, and what’s next:

The Washington chatter around the report we’re releasing has focused on one number: the sum total we’ve raised.

But other numbers that the pundits often ignore — like how many field offices we and the DNC have open, how many one-on-one conversations we’ve had with potential supporters, and how many people have already decided to own a piece of this campaign — tell the real story of our campaign.

All those numbers are in the video, and they’re the ones you should be proud of today. Watch it now …above

One more thing: It’s a fact that our opponents won’t have hundreds of thousands of people giving whatever they can afford — so they’ll be relying heavily on money from two sources to fund an unprecedented barrage:

1. Washington lobbyists and special interests whose explicit aim is to influence the federal government in any way they can.

2. Outside groups that don’t have to disclose a word about what they’ve raised or who they’ve raised it from, like one of Karl Rove’s political organizations. His groups have set an astounding $120 million fundraising goal in their campaign to tear down President Obama.

The threat to our success from these determined groups — acting solely in their own interest, not the public interest — is real, and it’s growing. And it’s going to take serious commitment and vigilance from all of us to withstand their attacks while still building the grassroots campaign we’ll need to win.

Thanks to you, we’re off to a solid start. But this is just the beginning.

So now, back to work.

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America